


Forbidden

by orphan_account



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: :P, Angst, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Fluff, How Do I Tag, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Misunderstandings, Sorry Not Sorry, Temporary Breakup, gaygaygay, what am I doing with my life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-06 03:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12808608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A little twist on the ever so popular arranged marriage AU ;)Alec's a normal high schooler with straight A's and a promising future until he finds out he's engaged to Princess Lydia of Malania, some island off the coast of Mexico. Izzy and Jace are excited about the new change, but Alec is lost. He's still closeted and shy, so facing an entire country is really low on his bucket list. On the second night of his stay, a shadow swings into his bedroom, some town thief named Magnus Bane.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilirishgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilirishgirl/gifts).



“C’mon,” Maia pulled Alec along by his sleeve, “I’ve got an essay due tomorrow and I’ve only written two words. My name.”

Alec raised an eyebrow, “Progress is progress. I have to get home.”

“ _ Alec _ ,” Maia practically whined, “Okay, fine. What if we did this at your place?”

“Ugh, why am I friends with you?” Alec threw his hands up, exasperated. 

“Because-”

“Alec!” His mother pulled up by the sidewalk, “Get in. I already have your bags packed, we’re leaving.”

“Surprise vacation?” Alec guessed tentatively, but once he saw the deadly serious look on Maryse’s face, he knew he was wrong.

The back seat window was rolled down, and Jace’s head popped out, “I have no idea, man. She just packed  _ everything _ up, and I mean everything, and some other guy shipped it to the airport.”

“Okay? Sorry, Maia,” Alec said, “I think I might have plans.”

…

“What?” Alec nearly shouted as soon as he heard what was happening, “You’re moving us to some deserted island fifteen miles off the coast of Mexico? And we’re  _ living  _ there? Have you lost your mind?”

Izzy and Jace were just as surprised, if not more.

“What about my friends? What about Meliorn?” Izzy cried, “You can’t just shove this in our faces out of nowhere!”

Bystanders were starting to stare at them as Maryse pushed her suitcase above their seats, “Quiet, kids, we’re on a plane!”

“Hell no!” Jace said, standing up, “I’m not just going to give up my life just because of-”

“I’m doing this,” Maryse hissed, “Because apparently we’re distantly related to the royal family and they want-”

“WHAT?!”

Maryse sighed, “You couldn’t possibly understand-”

Izzy squealed, “I’m a princess?”

“Technically, but the Branwells want one of you to marry their daughter, Lydia, and they’ve chosen Alec.”

Alec, who was previously slumped in his chair, mouth open in shock and horror, straightened immediately, “I’m betrothed?! To a woman?”

_ I’m gay _ .

The words were in the back of his throat lodged there and burning up his insides.

“Yes,” Maryse sounded exasperated, like it was obvious, “Now be quiet, would you? We have a seven hour flight ahead of us.”

“No!” Izzy argued, “You can’t just sell off our brother like that!”

Jace opened his mouth to agree, but Maryse turned away, signaling firmly that the conversation was over. 

…

Lydia was nice. She was calm, sweet, and Alec would have befriended her. Would have.

But right now, the mere thought of her, the flawless golden hair curled elegantly across her shoulder, her brown-green eyes sparkling in the light made him want to kill something. 

The dinner was awkward. Alec shook hands with the princess, ignoring his mother’s advice about kissing her, and stumbled over the simple questions that were directed at him as he picked at his food. Why did it matter he was studying biology? He wasn’t going to be granted the freedom of exploring the wildlife in here.

Arthur Branwell was stoic and serious, a bit intimidating if you asked Alec. He spoke in quiet whispers about political things to an assistant, who stood by his side, scribbling notes down furiously. 

Celina Branwell threw a few sympathetic looks Alec’s way, which he highly appreciated. 

Afterwards, he was quickly escorted to a huge bedroom, with ceiling-high windows and a huge bed, covered in silk sheets. 

“Anything else?” One of the servants asked, pushing his glasses up his nose, “You’re kinda stuck with us, while you’re staying, so-well, not like that’s bad, or anything, I mean we’re great people. Wait, that sounded narcissistic, let me rephrase that. I-”

The redhead beside him sighed, “He means we’ll be your personal servants. Now, like he said, anything else?”

Alec cringed inwardly at the thought of having his own servants, “Um, yeah. What are your names?”

The girl grinned, “I’m Clary, and the ugly nerd here is my best friend, Simon.”

“Hey!” Simon protested, “Isabelle said I was nerd hot!”

Clary rolled her eyes, walking away, “Sure...”

“She thinks I’m cute.”

“She’s the only one.”

Their voices started fading and Alec sighed, falling onto his bed. It was going to be a long night. 

…

“Wake up!” Someone screamed in his ear.

Alec bolted into a sitting position, ramming his head into Simon’s.

“Ow!”

“What the hell was that?”

“I told you,” Clary huffed, “Now, your majesty, would you like breakfast in bed or do you want to have to face the dark and brooding King Arthur down in the dining hall?”

“Ugh, I’ll pass,” Alec fell backwards, flipping himself over and groaning into a pillow. 

Clary giggled lightly, “Okay. You guys eat pancakes and waffles in America, right?”

“Can I just have a coffee?” Alec rubbed sleep out of his eyes, yawning. 

Simon grinned, “You’ll need it. I mean, I get what you’re going through, the wedding’s in three months-”

“ _ What _ ?” Alec was getting tired of the word, “You guys can’t just tell me something like this without giving me any time to cope! Izzy and Jace have enough to deal with, and so do I, but marriage? That quickly?”

Simon winced, “Yeah, it must be awful.”

“Two coffees,” Alec growled into his hands, “What the hell am I supposed to do here anyway?”

“The King wants you and Lydia to meet up in public for lunch, just something to feed the press,” Clary answered right away, “It’s six right now, I need you showered, dressed, and one hundred percent ready to face the country of Haliza in two hours.”

“I thought it was just lunch,” Alec said, sliding his long limbs off the bed. 

“They also want Lydia to take you on a tour of our nation, see the gardens and fields, all that good stuff,” Clary produced an elegant peacock blue suit with golden designs stitched into the sleeves and collar. 

“There’s no way in hell I’m wearing that,” Alec shook his head, “It’s too fancy. Can’t I wear my own clothes?”

“Simon and I put all your things in the walk-in closet,” Clary said, “You can wear them around the castle, but I’m afraid you’re going to need something a little more formal for the public.”

“What is the plainest thing you own?” Alec asked, eyeing the suit in distaste. 

Clary and Simon grinned.

…

It could be worse, Alec thought to himself. The shirt was black with silver lining along the sleeves, and after a while, Clary allowed him to go out in black jeans.

By the time it was eight, Lydia was waiting out by the door in a cream colored dress that left her shoulders bare but joined back together to flow down her arms. It was knee length and elegantly ruffled, so needless to say, Alec hated it. 

“Hello,” Lydia greeted him softly. She held out her arm, and after a moment of confusion, Alec linked his through it. 

“Hi,” Alec said, looking at anything but her as they walked.

A minute of awkward silence passed before Lydia laughed nervously, “Look, I know you hate this marriage. And for the record, I do too. I have a boyfriend, John, and he kind of hates your guts, even though it’s not our fault.”

Alec felt relieved, “Nice to know I won’t have to pretend to be head-over-heels in love with you,” he laughed. 

Lydia grinned, and all his hatred for her melted away, “Friends?”

“Friends,” Alec agreed.

“Just kiss me a few times while we’re walking around town,” Lydia whispered teasingly, “Give something the press to rave about.”

…

Malania was beautiful. The streets were made of smooth, polished cobblestones, with colorful cottages bunched together, flowers flowing out of the windows. Everything was covered in lemon yellows, rosy pinks, and sky blues. Sunlight was everywhere, streaming through windows of merch stops and open doors. 

“And that’s the local church,” Lydia said cheerfully, “It’s  _ really  _ old…”

After a while, Alec tuned her out, admiring the scenery. They had lunch at a romantic looking diner, with blackout curtains and so many candles, Alec considered it a fire hazard. The staff was all fake smiles and politeness, just like most of the people Alec had met in the palace. The food was elegant and expensive, and Alec noticed that almost all the residents he’d seen were incredibly wealthy. They walked around with gold oozing off their necks and wrists, covered in high-quality clothing. 

A few hours after noon, Lydia started heading back to the palace, with Alec trailing lazily after her. Alec tried ignoring the occasional clicks of cameras and the few people trying to follow them discretely but failing miserably. Eventually, even Lydia had enough and spun around, “I know you’re there! Stop acting like perverted stalkers and go write a page of nonsense gossip, will you?”

The reporter's’ eyes went wide and they scurried off. Lydia huffed in frustration, and Alec was pleasantly surprised, “Shouldn’t you be a little more polite since you’re going to be the future queen or something?”

“Nah, that’s my brother,” Lydia said, “My parents just want me married for the reputation.”   
“That’s ridiculous,” Alec said, “To have your carefully planned out life ripped away from you just because they want to have a little perfect family.”   
“Ha! My family’s far from perfect,” Lydia waved at a policeman as she pushed open the door, “By the way, we have a huge library. You seem like a book person. I can get Margaret to show you the way,” Lydia gestured for a young maid to come over, “I have to help my brother fill out paperwork. Have fun!”

She walked off, leaving Alec awkwardly replying to Margaret's monotone greetings and compliments that she obviously didn’t mean. 

He couldn’t help feeling relieved when Margaret left him at the entrance. The library, like ninety-nine percent of Malania, was colorful and bright, radiating happiness. The ceiling was flawless glass with bookshelves lining every inch of the walls. 

Alec felt like he could cry.

…

Dinner was a bit more bearable. He and Lydia would occasionally exchange glances and mouth words at each other while Arthur droned on about the beauty of the country.

_ Flawless my ass,  _ Lydia winked, and Alec pretended to go into a coughing fit to hide his giggles. 

Jace gave him an odd look, but after a minute, let it go. 

Thirty minutes later Alec stood up, appetite gone, “Can I be excused?”

Maryse looked disapproving and slightly annoyed, but Alec didn’t give a crap. He ran up the stairs and threw himself onto his bed. 

Alec stared out the open window, studying the stars twinkling overhead. How free they looked, he thought bittersweetly. It must be wonderful to make your own decisions. 

He shifted around for a few more minutes, trying to shake off the unease that was growing inside of him. Trying to forget the fact that his wedding was in only a few months. 

Suddenly there was a soft thumping beneath him, so quiet he could barely hear it. The sound was followed by what seemed to be metal on rock. Eventually the thumps and scrapes got louder, yet still barely audible. Then came the small puffs of breath, and after a few seconds, something rolled into the guest room.

Alec cried out, backing up to the corner of his bed, grabbing the first object he could find on the nightstand, which happened to be a shaving razor. He held it out at the figure, registering yellow-green eyes, with pupils that were almost cat-like. 

“Oh,” The man’s voice was smooth and silking, with a gracefulness that Alec could never have, “I thought it would be empty.”

“No shit,” the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

The man chuckled, “Since you’ll probably be dead in the next three minutes, my name is Magnus Bane.”

“I have a knife,” Alec said, “I know how to use it.”

Magnus looked unimpressed, “Is that the only thing stopping me from taking this?” He plucked a little piece of decor from the shelves off the wall, about the size of his palm, something that probably cost a small fortune. 

Alec noticed how much jewelry Magnus was wearing, with at least three necklaces and two rings on each of his fingers. 

“Why would you even need it?” Alec asked. Honestly, he wouldn’t have cared if Magnus took it. The golden flower was ugly and useless.

“Money,” Magnus replied, “Obviously. There’s a starving orphanage that needs help that the government won’t give.”

Alec was confused. The people he’d seen radiated money. 

“You look rich,” Alec said, blade in hand loosening, “Why can’t you just donate?”   
“These?” Magnus fingered the chains around his neck, “I stole these.”

“Fine,” Alec rolled his eyes, “Then get a job.”

“Last time I tried that, my family starved,” Magnus said the words like he was reciting the weather. He acted like nothing affected him, “So yes, I’ll get a job. I’ll give the orphanage pennies a week instead of hundreds of dollars.”

Alec liked the way he talked. After all the fake politeness and meaningless words, it was nice to hear someone sarcastic and informal.   
But it was odd to hear about the darker side of Malania. Just how much of the country had Lydia shown him? 

“Take it,” Alec shrugged, “It’s hideous anyway.”

Magnus raised an eyebrow, “I have to kill you now. Can’t have any witnesses.”   
“Good luck with that,” Alec smiled, “I mean, go for it. But I kind of have a brother who will maybe burn down the country and a much smarter sister who will analyze the windowsill for fingerprints, hunt you down, and rip your throat out with seven-inch stilettos. That is if you even manage to kill me in the first place. Also, you might have the moral high ground here, and I’ve got nothing against hungry children looking for a home. If you meant what you said and aren’t going to use the money to buy a brand new car, then you don’t have to worry.”

Magnus grinned, “You’re not a royal, are you?”

“What gave it away?” Alec asked dryly, “Arranged marriage to some random princess here. Not to mention the fact I’m gay, with homophobic parents who would never except that.”

“Ouch,” Magnus had a pitying look in his cat-like eyes, “If it helps, I’m a freewheeling bisexual. 

The casualness in his tone surprised a laugh out of Alec, “Great. With this new piece of information, we’ve now found a cure for cancer and a solution to world peace! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I was  _ sleeping _ before you barged in, so get the hell out.”

“You’d make a horrible royal,” Magnus said, shaking his head as he slipped the rose into his pocket and climbed out the window. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Alright, how much do we need?” Magnus asked, fingering the coins concealed in his pocket.

Catarina looked up from where she was bandaging a fallen kid’s knee. The boy’s friends stood by his side protectively, but Madzie grinned when she saw Magnus.

“I need more cough medicine because Georgie just got sick and we’re low on supplies. We’re also in need of food because the kids are getting tired of oatmeal and bean soup.”  
Magnus emptied his pockets and Catarina sighed in relief, “That’s enough to keep the orphans comfortable for two whole weeks! What would we do without you, Magnus?”

Magnus just grinned, “You wouldn’t survive.”

...

Three nights later, Magnus Bane popped into his room again. Alec almost hit him with a chair.

“What the hell?!”

“Miss me, gorgeous?” Magnus winked flirtatiously, making Alec flush, “Aw, our soon-to-be-prince is blushing! Don’t be embarrassed darling, those eyes are stunning.”

“Just take what you want and kindly escort your stupid ass out,” Alec collapsed back onto the bed.

“Ooh, sassy,” Magnus threw his head back cockily, and Alec noticed the purple streaks in his hair and hints of make-up on his face. Surprisingly, he pulled it off well, “I didn’t come here for money, already rooted Blondie’s room. He was passed out dead,” Magnus laughed, “I came here to see you. ”  
“Why?” Alec asked, genuinely confused.

“I like talking to you,” Magnus replied simply.

 _Jace and Izzy are the interesting ones_ , Alec wanted to say, but didn’t.

“By the way, you never told me your name,” Magnus said.

“Alec.”

“Short for Alexander?”

“No-I mean, yes, but, uh, no one ever calls me that.”

“Whatever you say, _Alexander,_ ” Magnus grinned, emphasizing each syllable. He plopped himself down in one of the overstuffed armchairs, propping his feet up and making himself comfortable, “So. How’s the royal family?”

“Queen’s nice,” Alec pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned against the headboard, “King is an asshole.”

“Sounds like him,” Magnus laughed, and Alec deemed it the most angelic sound in the whole frickin’ world.

“So I have a predicament,” Magnus said, twirling a piece of fluff around in his fingers.

“Shoot,” Alec shrugged.

“I like someone,” Magnus continued, “He’s adorable, yet a badass, which is something I’ve picked up on in the news lately. Some slut was assaulting his sister, so he kicked the guy where it hurts. Repeatedly.”

Alec laughed, “Sounds like something I would do.”

“And he has the clearest blue eyes,” Magnus pretended to swoon, “I want to ask him out, but he’s stuck in some fake relationship for his parents.”

“Kind of like me,” Alec said.

“Yeah,” There was something in Magnus’s voice that seemed off, but Alec chose to ignore it, “Oh! I saw your interview with that reporter. Who knew you were such a sarcastic little shit?”

“The poor guy clearly has never heard of such a thing,” Alec, “He thought I was being completely genuine. Izzy could not stop laughing…”

They sat in comfortable silence until Magnus spoke up, “Wanna run around doing illegal things?”

Alec stared at him incredulously, “Are you kidding me?”

He was about to decline, but something clicked in his mind. He was allowed to have fun, wasn’t he? After all, his life would be taken away from him in the next few months. He might as well take advantage of his current freedom.

“Hell yes.”

Magnus grinned, hopping onto the windowsill. He hooked some kind of rope gadget thing onto the edge, gesturing for Alec to follow him.

They slowly slid down the rock wall, and Alec, with his clumsy fingers, nearly fell off a couple times.

“Hurry,” Magnus slipped off into the bushes, with Alec trying his best to follow. They ran into the town’s center, scaling the rooftops and jumping over the gaps between lavish cottages.

“I’ll race you to the church,” Alec said breathlessly, feeling a rush of courage, “First one to touch the cross on top wins.”

“Enjoy second place,” Magnus winked, and they took off.

Magnus was swift and fast, but Alec had always won the cross country and track races held at his school. While Magnus was more familiar with the environment, finding shortcuts Alec had no knowledge of, Alec was faster. He threw himself at the church’s wall, grabbing onto a decorative hedge and using it to pull himself up. Meanwhile, Magnus was only a few feet behind him, catapulting into Alec to try and slow him down. They rolled on the roof, each trying to struggle free of the other’s hold.

Eventually, Magnus ended up on top, their faces only an inch apart, breaths sharing the same air.

Alec’s eyes somehow found the thief's lips, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

Magnus leaned a millimeter closer, cat eyes sparkling.

All of a sudden there was a yell, “Get down from there, you disrespectful kids!”

Just like that, the spell was broken. Magnus smirked, and Alec coughed awkwardly as they separated. A stick was thrown at them, but they were too high, and it bounced off the marble wall harmlessly.

“First one into your bedroom wins,” Magnus said, “If you get hit you’re out,” He laughed the carefree laughed that Alec loved, and darted away.

“Oh it’s _on_ ,” Alec followed just as quickly, trying to dodge the other pieces of junk aimed at them. He admired the stars shining ahead, the faint breeze, smelling of moonlight and leaves. He felt weightless and light, _invincible_ . He couldn’t imagine ever having fun from the second he stepped off the airplane, but with Magnus, he could barely _think_.

So when Magnus swung out of his window that night, Alec came to a horrible realization.

He had a miserable crush on the criminal of the capital, (WHO LIKED SOMEONE ELSE, BY THE WAY) and it was no one’s fault but his.

Or Magnus’s, for being unfairly perfect.

…

“Your personal servant is the _cutest_ ,” Isabelle rambled, “His glasses are always crooked and he does this adorable blush whenever I straighten them for him,” she leaned back, arching her back over the armrest dramatically, “And his _hair_. It’s almost as messy as yours! And that’s saying something because that rat’s nest has never met a hairbrush,” she teased.

Alec smiled affectionately, “And he will not stop talking about you, either. Too chicken to ask you out, though.”

“That’s why I’m going to do it,” Izzy replied, grinning from ear to ear, “I mean, Mom and Dad aren’t the happiest, but Jace and Clary are now a thing,” She pulled a strand of hair from her already messy bun and twirled it around in her fingers, “I don’t see why I can’t date a servant. Whatever, they can’t tell me what do do. Anyways, since you spend like, half your time in the library, I decided to try this thing you call ‘reading for enjoyment’. Ugh. I’m all for feminine heroes, but I hate how all of them are tomboyish. I can be badass and on fleek at the same time! I’d insert all my diamond earrings into the people’s throats and choke them with my necklaces. I could make them go blind from all the glitter on my clothes. I could still crack their necks with my hands, nail polish or not.”

Alec laughed affectionately, “I’d put my money on you if you were to go against the entire Malania army.”

Izzy rolled her eyes, “You’d better.”

...

Alec stifled a groan as he and Lydia were bombarded with more questions.

“What about the curtains?” A maid asked, pulling out a tablet, “The king likes the pine green ones, because it will match Lydia’s eyes, but the Queen thinks white and icy blue are more appropriate.”

Alec bit back a snarky remark about how he could not care less, and sighed, “What do you think… dear?” He added the pet name hesitantly, trying to act like a fiance rather than the awkward teenager he was.

“I like the white ones,” Lydia replied, “Traditional.”

“And the tables? Tablecloths? What patterns on the napkins? We have a flowery one and one with birds. And the silverware? Oh! The buffet! The castle chef makes the most wondrous crab cakes.”

_Kill me now._

Lydia took notice of Alec’s current state, “Miss, we have so much time to work this out. I think we’ve done enough today.”

The maid nodded and hurried away.

Alex sagged in relief, “Ugh… Why can’t you sort everything out? You’re so much better at it.”

“Still hate it, though.”

“Understandable,” Alec leaned against a wall, “I’m starving. Do you guys have any Subways nearby?”

“Excuse me?” Lydia’s brows furrowed.

Alec gaped at her, and she laughed, “Don’t worry, we’re still in the twentieth century here. C’mon,” She dragged Alec down the halls and through the doorway, “You’ll have to go to the more casual towns, tough. She pointed at a limo parked at the bottom of the pathway, “Just tell the driver who you are and he’ll take you where you want to go. It’s almost dinnertime, anyway.”

Alec wandered through the gardens until he reached the elegant car.

The polished window rolled down, revealing a thin faced man, “Who are you and where to?”  
“Alec Lightwood,” Alec said, thoughts wandering over to Magnus. Then he remembered that the thief worked for an orphanage. Curious about the described predicament, he said, “Nearest orphanage?”

“We’ve only got one in this whole tiny country,” The driver said, “Get in.”

The ride was longer than expected. Alec tucked himself into the corner of the seats lining the edges, and poured himself a cup of water. Outside, the lavish apartments turned into barren fields. Eventually, they arrived at a suburban town at the edge of the beach. Alec admired the silky-looking sand and calm, lapping waves.

The limousine stopped by a big building that looked run down but warm and welcoming.

He stepped out of the car, offering to pay for the ride but having his money waved away, and opened the door.

He was met with a woman covered in different shades of blue, “May I help you?”

“I’m looking for Magnus Bane,” Alec said shyly, “Is he here?”  
“Oh! Are you the person he’s been ranting on and on about?” The women looked amused, and tilted her head back, “MAGNUS! Your new boyfriend is here to see you.”

“Huh?” Someone called in the background.

Alec flushed a deep red, “Uhm, we’re not… we’re not in a relationship… You’re mistaken.”

 _Magnus talks about me? What?_ So many thoughts were racing through his heads a thousand miles a minute.

“Hello, darling,” Magnus winked, “What brings you to our humble home?”  
“You live here?” Alec asked, confused.

“No. I live in a loft in the capitol. Makes thievery a bit easier,” Magnus peeked at what was behind Alec, “Ooh, limo. Fancy! Let’s go for a ride!” He dragged Alec along by the wrist, leaving the blue women standing in the doorway, giggling.

He popped open the door and told the driver a random address, who looked surprised.

Alec fell in after Magnus, “Where are we going?”  
“My humble home,” Magnus poured himself a generous amount of champagne and raised his glass to Alec’s water, “To us!”

“To us,” Alec repeated, taking a sip.

“What did you do in the castle today?” Magnus asked, leaning back and draping his arm over the edge of the seats, “Wedding plans? Bet it was boring.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Alec rolled his eyes, and soon, they were talking and laughing like they’d known each other for years.

Alec enjoyed every second.

When they arrived, Alec could’ve sworn his eyes widened to the size of the moon. Inside the loft was lavish and decorative. Magnus chuckled at Alec’s reaction, “Extra money left over from what I donated,” He said, “Everything I take deserves to be taken. Nowadays, people are showoffs. They spend ridiculous amounts of money on things like pens covered in diamonds, or gold napkin holders, or some other ridiculous ordinary household object. I think those snobs deserve what they get.”

“So my brother is a snob?” Alec grinned.

“Have you seen his face?” Magnus deadpanned, and they burst out laughing.

Magnus led Alec onto his balcony, where the sun was setting. The view was beautiful. Not only was the sunset like an explosion of vibrant colors, it reflected off the rooftops, bathing the whole scene in a variety of golds and ambers.

Alec turned, and suddenly his face was inches from Magnus’s.

His absolutely stupid eyes found the other's lips again.

“You know how I told you about that person I liked?” Magnus whispered, eyes tender, and Alec’s heart fell.

“Yes. You made yourself perfectly clear,” Alec said, pulling away, “I, um, I have things to do. Wedding plans and all,” He muttered a broken up excuse, not wanting to hear how he wasn’t good enough for someone like Magnus. It was obvious, he had _eyes_. He refused to be rejected, didn’t want to hear it.

“Wait,” Magnus said, grabbing Alec’s hand, but Alec struggled free.

“It’s okay,” He said, unwilling to meet Magnus’s eyes, probably filled with pity or some other degrading emotion, “I understand,” He said coldly, and descended the stairs quickly, throwing himself into the limo and ignoring Magnus's calls.

A tear slipped out of his eye, and Alec let it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dunnnn  
> After I posted this I was rereading and cringing so much oh my god what have I done  
> thanks fer readingg :))


End file.
